Progressive Democrat accuses Sinema of being funded by 'deep-pocketed lobbyists' despite own ties to industry

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FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., a progressive Democrat running for U.S. Senate, is accusing independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema — his potential rival in 2024 — of being funded by "deep-pocketed lobbyists" despite his own connections to the Washington, D.C., lobbying industry.

Fox News Digital obtained a fundraising text sent by Gallego, who tossed his hat into the 2024 Arizona Senate race last week, in which he took a swipe at Sinema even though she has yet to announce whether she will run for reelection.

"It's Ruben Gallego here – and I'm in. I'm running against Kyrsten Sinema for U.S. Senate. Why? Because Sinema has chosen to use her power to protect the already powerful, instead of using it for the people she's supposed to serve," Gallego said in the text.

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Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. (Getty Images)

"I'm running for all of us – and I want us to win as a united team. But it will take more than resolve to defeat Sinema and the deep-pocketed lobbyists funding her campaign," he added.

Gallego, however, has his own ties to the lobbying industry, some of which seem set to benefit his campaign in the weeks and months to come, according to his own campaign materials obtained by Fox.

One campaign event flyer requests potential high-dollar donors to attend a reception with Gallego scheduled for Feb. 28 in Washington and hosted by prominent Democrat lobbyists Matt Gorman, Patrick Gorman and Mike Lux.

The suggested contributions to attend the reception range from $500 as a "supporter," $1,000 as a "friend" and $2,900 as a "sponsor."

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A campaign flyer from the Senate campaign of Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., advertises a fundraiser with prominent Democrat lobbyists. (Fox News)

According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, Gallego has also previously received money from lobbyist groups and corporation political action committees (PACs) that actively engage in lobbying activities in Washington. Those include lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP and PACs associated with Amazon.com Inc. and Amgen Inc., a biopharmaceutical company.

Each most recently gave money to his reelection campaign for Congress in the weeks ahead of the midterm elections last year. FEC data for Gallego's Senate campaign has not yet been made available.

Additionally, Gallego's wife, Sydney Barron Gallego, works as a lobbyist for the National Association of Realtors in Washington and has previously worked in a number of financial roles for multiple Democrat organizations and campaigns.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., speaks at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus event on Nov. 18, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

Fox reached out to Gallego's campaign for comment but did not receive a response.

Sinema, who left the Democratic Party last year to become an independent, has also previously received money from various lobbyist groups and corporation PACs actively engaged in lobbying activities.

She has faced criticism from the left for taking in large amounts in contributions from lobbyists and company executives, especially over those from the pharmaceutical industry at the same time she opposed her former party's drug pricing bill in 2021.

Sinema also didn't respond to Fox's request for comment.

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Should she decide to run for reelection Sinema would not face Gallego unless he were to win the yet to be scheduled Democratic primary and head to the general election.

She would also likely face a Republican challenger, although no candidates have publicly declared their intention to run. Former Senate candidate Blake Masters and former gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake have been floated as potential challengers.